1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of titanium compounds, particularly to the production of titanium disulphide.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Titanium disulphide has been proposed as, or for use in, lubricants. For such an application the precise stoichiometry of the titanium disulphide was not considered to be of importance. It has now been suggested that titanium disulphide may be used as a cathode material in certain types of batteries and that for this end use it is important that the stoichiometry of such titanium disulphide be at or near the theoretical value.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,761 describes a method for the preparation of titanium disulphide which method comprises heating metallic titanium to a reaction temperature between about 400.degree. C. and 1000.degree. C., contacting the heated titanium with less than stoichiometric amounts of elemental sulphur and then annealing the titanium-rich non-stoichiometric titanium disulphide so produced at a temperature between about 400.degree. C. and 600.degree. C. in an atmosphere having a sulphur partial pressure substantially equal to the equilibrium sulphur partial pressure over titanium disulphide at the annealing temperature to form substantially stoichiometric titanium disulphide. As specifically described in the aforesaid United States Patent the reaction between the heated titanium and the elemental sulphur was allowed to proceed for one week and the annealing stage of the process was then conducted for a further time of one week. Titanium disulphide so produced could be represented by the formula Ti.sub.y S.sub.2 where y has a value from about 1.00 to 1.02.
The present invention relates to a new or improved process for producing titanium disulphide.